I recently spoke with a young man who was hurting. He was not hurting because a girl broke his heart, he was cut from the team, or because a job fell apart. He was hurting because has been hooked on pornography, and he knows it is sinful before God. He desperately wants to be free, so he reached out, looking for some answers.
For brevity’s sake, I will not post statistics and attempt long explanations. Let’s get to the heart of the matter.
To every Christian reading this post, hear me well: If pornography is in your life, Jesus Christ can set you free!
When I call out to Christians, understand that I am asking if you have repented of your sin and received Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as your Savior. Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ? If you are a Christian, then you already know that pornography is evil. It must be destroyed from your life because it will destroy your life!
It will twist your mind, destroy your walk with God, and rob you of blessings! It is evil in your life, and it is wrong for your spouse to share your heart with strangers through an iPhone.
But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. (Matthew 5:28)
So I say to you, my brothers and sisters in Christ who struggle with pornography, you are not alone. You are not unloved. You matter to God. You matter to the local church. God bless you. God encourage you, and God remind you that you can, indeed, by the power of Jesus Christ, be set free!
Jesus Christ can set you free! You do not have to live with this bondage and hidden shame!
To you who know that the Holy Spirit has been convicting you of this sinful habit in your life, let me offer some guidelines:
Confess your sin to God, and be thoroughly right with Him!
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. (Psalms 51:10)
There is more mercy in God than there is sin in you. Please recognize that the Lord wants you to walk in sweet fellowship with Him! Confess it to the Lord! Ask His forgiveness!
Confess this sin to your spouse, and be right with that person!
If you are a married person, then you need to bring this sinful habit into the light. Tell your spouse. Yes, it will hurt. Yes, there may be tears. However, honesty is not the best policy; honesty is the only policy. You made a covenant with God for the person you married. You must ask his/her forgiveness. You must ask for their prayers and support. Humble yourself.
If you are in a relationship with a person but not yet married, then, again, bring this sin into the light. Ask that person’s forgiveness. Commit that you will save yourself for that person in marriage.
Cut off the source of temptation!
This next step may sound radical, but I stand by it. If it is your iPhone that you use to view pornography, then get rid of it – TODAY! Sell it. Smash it. Run over it. Put it into the garbage can. Do not make excuses, and do not overthink this step. You may say, “I spent $800 on this phone; I can’t lose that!” It is better to lose $800 than to lose your own soul!
If it is cable television, movies, a PC, a phone, or a tablet that is the doorway by which you go to pornography, then today is the day when that door is not only closed but bolted, sealed, and cemented. CUT OFF THE SOURCE OF THE TEMPTATION.
Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. (Matthew 18:8-9)
Be in a Good Church!
You need brothers and sisters in the Lord to encourage you! Be there! Be part of the church! Satan will tell you that you do not belong, but you do!
Dear Christian brother or sister: God has so much for your life! God can use your life! Like any sin, pornography will ruin you and rob you of the blessings of God upon your life! Let us not wait for one day to be free from this addiction. Today is DAY ONE!
Again, to my brothers and sisters who struggle with pornography, you are not alone. You are not unloved. You matter to God. You matter to the local church. God bless you. God encourage you, and God remind you that you can, indeed, by the power of Jesus Christ, be set free!
If you would ever like to reach out for someone to pray with you, please do so. Send me an email at pastorlewey@gmail.com
